Momentum builds for minister to champion manufacturing

Momentum builds for minister to champion manufacturing

16 January 2014

Unite, Britain’s biggest union, has supported the call from Karl Koehler, chief executive of Tata Steel's European operations, for the appointment of a single minister to champion key manufacturing industries.

The government was today (Thursday 16 January) urged to help manufacturing firms tackle the looming skills crisis, as well as appoint a minister for the sector.

Unite assistant general secretary, Tony Burke said: “There is momentum building for a minister to champion manufacturing industries and we welcome Tata’s recognition of the need for urgent action to support growth and the need to rebalance the economy.

“The UK needs an interventionist manufacturing strategy with direction and substance. We need an economy built on decent jobs with manufacturing at its heart. Having a minister for manufacturing, with a seat in the cabinet, to facilitate manufacturing growth in the UK would be a major step forward.”

In November last year Unite called on the government to appoint a minister for manufacturing to drive through an interventionist manufacturing strategy to help rebalance the economy.

Unite proposed ten key pillars for manufacturing to rebalance the UK economy in a strategy paper entitled Made in Britain.

ENDS

For more information contact Ciaran Naidoo from Unite on 07768 931 315